I immediately shrunk into the background reproaching myself for acting the role of a fool. Kaltain might be a notably better character in the books but right now she was one of those vipers of the court. Thankfully she barely spared me a glance and went right on to shower her attention to Dorian. She pointed ignored Celaena too so we were on the same boat. 

    Kaltain went on about how she was just with the queen but her smooth voice was drowned out by the roaring in my head. I tried hard not to show my discomfort but controlling my expression was never my strong suit, it was a court thing. I hid behind celaena but Dorian just had to introduce Celeana as Lady Lillian Gordaina- her fake identity, to Kaltain drawing her eyes to Celaena. 

    Somehow the conversation that went on simultaneously made my stomach jump as well as look back and forth in interest. It was the scene in the books where Dorian ropes Chaol into pretending to like Celaena while teaming up with her to end the interaction with Kaltain as soon as possible. Kaltain sent Lillian some of those compliments disguised as insults while Lillian responded unabashedly. 

     "Well, I've dallied enough, I must attend to my mother." Dorian excused himself, bowed to the ladies and, I bowed low as they curtsied.

    "We must be on our way as well. May we escorted you somewhere?" Chaol asked for politeness sake. Kaltain had dropped all pretense and refused the offer "I'm meeting his grace Duke Perrington. I hope to see more of you Lady Lillian", she said and they both looked like they were sizing each other up. And only after she left did I come to my senses. The roaring in my head stopped. "I hadn't accounted for the sheer anxiety i would experience when I came here," I whispered. "Thats life at court for you." Chaol commented. Celaena and Chaol bantered 

    ".....rich as the king....Duke Perrington......."

    "​​​I hate women like that. They are so desperate for the attention of men that they'd willingly betray and harm members of their own sex...."

     "What debauchery" I snapped back to reality.

      "I pity her servants,"

      "I pity her father,"  they laughed.

      "Julie?" I jumped at the mention of my name. "Yes?" 

     It was Celaena "You look disturbed.", this assassin "You were so quiet back there, I didn't think you were the overly formal type?"

     I struggle to say something coherent. 'You're the one who made observant friends' I thought to myself. If only talking was as easy as embarrassing myself. "Oh not at all, I would have of course thrown in a joke or two as an unofficial jester, " Celeana chucked at that "but that woman made me... pause." Whatever, if it works in my favour, "She does seem like someone who would trip other ladies to get attention from Dorian, doesn't she? But she isn't some blind fool, I just think that there is more to her." 

      Chaol looked at me "you seem to have some instincts." Celeana nodded an arm over my shoulder "True," 'Oh no, I just know what happens and hearing you guys' trash talk was just kinda painful, but I can't say that' -internally sniffling - but grinning idiotically on the outside.

      "Thats why you should keep me close guys. I'm excellent at predictions. I think Chaol might even settle down in the future," 

    "Really?" Celaena looked interested.

   "there goes the little appreciation I had for you, Julie." Somehow that only made me smile at him more. 

     Chaol then said that he had work to do for the king's departure as we reached Celaena's door posted by guards. "The competition is starting, get some rest," he told the assassin. I supposed it was my turn to say my goodbye as well. "Good luck, Celaena." I smiled, "Hey, thanks," she said with a hint of a grin.

    What was I doing here? Chaol was taking me to see Dorian. I didn't think I'd be so nervous; it reminded me of all the times I went to see the head of the department or anyone sitting in an air-conditioned office. I would hate standing there waiting for them to look up from their work and say something, the atmosphere would be oppressive, but it was all only in my imagination.

    My apprehension reached its peak, and I felt sorry for Celeana for having to meet the king. Dorian wasn't a king, and neither was he like those mean people in an admin room, I reminded myself. 'He's your favourite character, calm down'.  I breathed and straightened my posture and Chaol, pushing open the doors to a balcony with a table overlooking one of the gardens.

   Dorian sat at the table with a pile of books at his feet looking like he couldn't decide which one to choose among those titles. I thought he would look less perfect or something but throughout the day he stays the same like he is being preserved in resin. Perks of being a book character. "Good evening, your highness," I greeted, lips splitting into a grin. 'Good evening? Do people say that? What am I a school girl?' I bowed still feeling awkward to curtsy.

   "Good evening, apprentice Julie," he said in the same tone I used. "Sit down ," I sat opposite to him. I scanned the title of the books piled and recognised not one. " These are new one i just brought in" he said.

     I was a bit baffled "and you're going to get through all of them?"

    " Of course,"  he said simply. Chaol was just watching. 

    "Do you stand all day, Chaol?" 

    "Yes."  Okay... "Its tomorrow"

     "Yes the competition starts, and the king will be gone. It is like asking for something to go wrong." Dorian replied. I wondered if they often had important sounding conversations with novice blacksmiths at earshot. 

    Dorian looked at me, "what do you think, Julie?" I thought this wasn't an interrogation? 

   "Your highness, I don't know anything that other than that a lot of champions are going to die, its a deadly competition after all, its inevitable." 

   "And ?"

   " If you're asking me who Celaena should look out for, its Duke Perrington's champion, I've heard some huge things about him. Celaena was probably too proud to admit it, huh?" 

   "She said men of large size are probably too slow for her." Chaol admitted. 

   "She will mostly get through it, what we should be looking for is foul play." 

    " Right are criminals" Chaol sighed and looked like he wished they would all simply be imprisoned and be done with it.

    "Then Duke Perrington's associates should be watched." Dorian said.

     "Prince Dorian, I don't believe he is infatuated with Lady Kaltain at all. She is also a tool."  I said. 

    "Noted." His eyes were cleared. I smiled. "How have you been utilising the library" he asked switching to lighter topics. 

    I brightened, "Its not as enthralling as stories but blacksmith literature are prized and it has certainly proved to be very useful. Did you know that our will can be imbued in our creation and it provides poten...."  It was always very hard to control myself when I'm talking about something that excites me but out of all the missteps I thought I had made this one tops it all.